Utility shelf



Feb. 8, 1966 c. M. RIPPS UTILITY SHELF Filed July 22, 1964 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,233,744 UTILITY SHELF Clarence M. Ripps, 136Roesler Road, San Antonio, Tex. Filed July 22, 1964, Ser. No. 384,331 12Claims. (Cl. 21186) The invention concerns a utility shelf, andparticularly concerns a utilityshelf adapted to hold various articles inconvenient position when attached to a soap dish normally mounted in awall near bathing facilities.

Many homes have soap dishes mounted on or recessed in a wall nearbathing facilities, such as bathtubs, shower enclosures, lavatories,sinks, and the like. Particularly in the case of bathtub and showerinstallations, the soap dish usually comprises a floor, a ceiling, andat least one wall connecting the floor and ceiling but leaving an openside to permit entry of soap into the dish, and normally has a barextending substantially horizontally across the open side to provide ahand hold during bathing. The bar, however, is used infrequently for anypurpose.

No provision is made normally for a shelf or other means for holdingshampoo bottles, cleansers, glasses, razors, brushes, and the like.Consequently, these items are frequently stored on a ledge nearby or onthe edges of the bathtub. Lack of convenient space for storing sucharticles leads to accidents, breakage of the articles, and generalinconvenience.

The invention provides a utility shelf which may be removably attachedto such a soap dish and which in various embodiments provides a place ofconvenient storage of one or more of the articles mentioned above. Autility shelf in accordance with the invention may be easily attached toa soap dish as well as easily removed fromthe soap dish. Furthermore, autility shelf in accordance with the invention can be of simple andinexpensive construction.

Broadly, a utility shelf in accordance with the invention, which issuitablef or removable attachment with a soap dish normally mounted in awall near bathing facilities, may comprise a rack shaped to accept andsupport articles thereon, means attached to the rack orotherwise'associated therewith for permitting the rack to rest on a barextending substantially horizontally across a soap dish whilelimitingmovement in relation to the bar other than rotary movementtherearound, means extending from the rack for limiting rotary movementaround the bar in a direction away from the soap dish by engagement witha stationary object near the soap dish, such as the soap dish itself,and means associated with therack for limiting rotary movement aroundthe bar in a direction toward the soap dish by engagement with astationary object near the soap dish, such as the soap dish itself or awall in which the soap dish is mounted.

Preferably, the means for permitting the rack torest one bar across asoap dish comprises at least one leg depending from the rack and havingan arcuate recess in the bottom surface thereof shaped to mate with andrest on the bar. Of course, the leg may also have means for tightlyengaging the bar, thereby limiting all movement in relation to the bar,but in general this means is unnecessary. In fact, this means may evendiminish convenience of use compared with a shelf without such means.

Another embodiment exemplifying a utility shelf in accordance with theinvention comprises a rack shaped to accept and support articles such asshampoo bottles placed thereon, a pair of legs attached to the rack andshaped to mate with and rest on a bar across the open "ice side of thesoap dish, and at least one tongue extending from the rack and shaped tofit against at least one of a soap dish and a wall in which a soap dishis mounted to prevent thereby tilting away from the soap dish bypivoting or rotation around the bar; the rack also being shaped to fitagainst either or both of the soap dish and the wall in which the soapdish is mounted to prevent tilting towards the soap dish by pivoting orrotation around the bar.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of one embodiment of ,a utility shelf inaccordance with the invention mounted on a conventional soap dish;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of a utility shelf shownin section in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a utility shelf inaccordance with the invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, a soap dish 16 of conventional construction ismounted in a wall .12, such as a wall near a bathtub. The soap dish 10comprises a floor 14, a ceiling 16, and a wall 18 in the nature of apartial cylinder, thus leaving an open side in the soap dish 10 topermit placement of soap on thefloor 14. A bar 20 extends substantiallyhorizontally across the open side of the soap dish 10 and may be mountedon the soap dish 10 in any suitable manner, such as by the projection 22from the wall 18 of the soap dish 10 along with a similar projection(not shown) oppositely disposed on the wall 18. Of course,,,the soapdish may take other forms, which it frequently does for estheticpurposes, but conventionally it comprises a receptacle enclosed exceptfor one side, with a bar across the open side.

An embodiment of a utility shelf in accordance with the invention isshown in section in FIG. 1 disposed on the soap dish 10, and inperspective in FIG. 2. The'utility shelf there shown comprises a rack24, a pair of legs 26 and 28 extending downwardly from the rack 24 andshaped to mate with and rest on the bar 20 of the soap dish 10.Preferably, the bottom edgesof the legs 26 and 28 contain substantiallyarcuate recesses 30 and 32 with which to mate with the bar 20, althoughthe legs may be otherwise shaped as long as horizontal sliding movementover the bar 20 is limited. Thus, inthe embodiment shown, the utilityshelf can exhibit pivotal or rotary movement around the bar 20 insofaras only the legs 26 and 28 and the bar20 are concerned.

The rack 24 comprises a substantially flat rectangular bottom member 34and a wall 36 extending around'three sides of the bottom member 34. Thewall 36 may be discontinuous or otherwise broken as long as it keepsarticles placed on the bottom member 34 from falling off. In fact, thewall 36 may even be omitted, especially when the bottom memberfid isdish shaped or otherwise shaped to retain articles placed thereon. Also,the wall 36 may extend completely around the periphery of the bottommember 34 although this construction is unnecessary sinw the wall 12 inwhich the soap dish 10 is mounted serves as a retaining wall of the rack24.

A tongue 38 extends rearwardly from the rack 24 and is shaped to fitagainst the ceiling 16 of the soap dish 10 when the utility shelf 24 ismounted in place. The tongue 38 is an example of a means for limitingthe utility shelf from pivoting around the bar 26 and'tilting away from(facing away from) the soap dish 10.

The rack 24 is shaped to fit against the soap dish 10 or the wall 12,preferably both of them as shown, above the center of the bar 20 toprovide thereby an example of a means for limiting rotation around thebar 20 and tilting towards (facing towards) the soap dish 10. .Since theceiling 16 of the soap dish 10 normally extends for a small distancebeyond the wall 12 in which the soap dish it) is mounted, recesses 40and 42 are provided in the wall 36 to permit the rack 24 to fit flushagainst both the soap dish and the wall 12. Of course, if small spacesbetween the parts can be tolerated, which depends on of course thearticles to be stored, a completely flush fitting of these parts isunnecessary. Holes 43 may be located in the rack 24, particularly thebottom member 34, to permit drainage of fluid from the rack 24.

The size of the various parts of the utility shelf, of course, should beconstructed to permit easy mounting of the utility shelf on the soapdish '10 by slipping the shelf between the bar 20 .and the ceiling 16and then dropping the shelf in place, and easy removal therefrom byraising the shelf and then withdrawing it from between the bar 20 andceiling 16. The sizes of variious parts preferred to accomplish thesesteps will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Slight variationsin the structure shown in PEG. 1 and FIG. 2 may also be made tofacilitate easy attachment and removal, for example, the tongue 33 maycontain a recess 39 on its upper side near the outer edge of the ceiling16 to facilitate naising of the utility shelf from the bar 20 and,consequently, removal.

With reference to FIG. 3, .another embodiment in accordance with theinvention is shown. The utility shelf comprises a rack 44, a pair oflegs 46 and 48 extending downwardly from the rack 44 and shaped toengage a bar of a soap dish, and a pair of tongues 50 and 52 extendingdownwardly from the rear portion of the rack 44. The rack 44 comprises asubstantially fiat bottom member 54 and a wall 56 extending upwardlyfrom the bottom member 54 near its periphery.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 functions in a manner similar to theembodiment shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The back edges of the rack 1 4prevent rotation when the shelf is placed on a bar by fitting againsteither the soap dish on which the shelf is placed or the wall in whichthe soap dish is mounted. Rotation and tilting away from the soap dishis prevented by the tongues 50 and 52. which are shaped to fit againsteither the wall or walls of the soap dish, the wall in which the soapdish is mounted, or other stationary area below the center of the bar onthe soap dish.

Utility shelves in accordance with the invention may be constructed ofany suitable material, such as polyethylene, polystyrene, rubber,ceramics, metals, combinations thereof, and thelike, although materialsknown as plastics are preferred. Utility shelves in accordance with theinvention may be made as integral units, for example, by molding, or maybe made of individual parts and then bonded or otherwise attachedtogether.

What is claimed is:

1. A utility shelf suitable for removable attachment with a soap dishnormally mounted in a wall near bathing facilities; said soap dishnormally comprising a floor, a ceiling, and at least one wall connectingsaid floor and ceiling but leaving an open side, and having a barextending substantially horizontally across theopen side; said shelfcomprising a rack shaped to accept and support articles placed thereon,at least one leg attached to said rack and shaped to rest on a baracross a soap dish and maintain the shelf in position thereon, and atleast one tongue extending from said rack and shaped to fit against atleast one of a soap dish and a wall in which the soap dish is mounted toprevent thereby tilting away from the soap dish; said rack being shapedto fit against at least one of a soap dish and a wall in which the soapdish is mounted to prevent thereby tilting toward the soap dish.

2. The shelf defined in claim 1 wherein said rack comprises asubstantially fiat bottom member and at least one wall extendingupwardly therefrom near the periphery thereof.

3. The shelf defined in claim 1 wherein said leg has a substantiallyarcuate recess in the bottom edge thereof shaped to mate with and reston said bar.

4. A utility shelf suitable for removable attachment with a soap dishnormally mounted in a wall near bathing facilities; said soap dishnormally comprising a floor, a ceiling, and at least one wall connectingsaid fioor and ceiling but leaving an open side, and having a barextending substantially horizontally across the open side; said shelfcomprising a rack shaped to accept and support. articles placed thereon,a pair of legs attached to said rack and shaped to mate with and rest ona bar across a soap dish, and a tongue extending .rearwardly from saidrack and shaped to fit against the ceiling of a soap dish tof preventthereby tilting away from the soap dish; saidrack being shaped to fitagainst at least one of a soap dish and :a wall in which the soap dishis mountedto prevent thereby tilting towards the soap dish. I

5. The shelf defined in claim 4 wherein said racl eon? prises asubstantially fiat bot-tom member and at least one wall extendingupwardly therefrom near the periphsfa-y thereof. 7

6. The shelf defined in claim 4 wherein said legs have substantiallyarc-uate recesses in the bottom edges thereof shaped to mate with andrest on said bar.

7. A utility shelf suitable for removable attachment with a soap dishnormally mounted in a wall near bathing facilities; said soap dishnormally comprising a floor, a ceiling, and at least one wall connectingsaid floor and ceiling but leaving an open side, and having a barextending substantially horizontally across the open side; said shelfcomprising a rack shaped to accept and support articles placed thereon,a pair of legs attached to said rack and shaped to mate with and rest ona bar across a soap dish, and at least one tongue extending downwardlyfrom said rack near the rear portion thereof and shaped to fit againstat least one of a soap dish and the wall in which the soap dish ismounted to prevent thereby tilting away from the soap dish; said rackbeing shaped to fit against at least one of a soap dish and a wall inwhich the soap dish is mounted to prevent thereby tilting towards thesoap dish.

8. The shelf defined in claim 7 wherein said rackcomprises asubstantially flat bottom member. and at least one wall extendingupwardly therefrom near the periphery thereof.

9. The shelf defined in claim 7 wherein said legs have substantiallyarcuate recesses in the bottom edges thereof shaped to mate with andrest on said bar.

10. In combination, a soap dish normally mounted in a wall near bathingfacilities, said soap dish comprising a floor, a ceiling, and at leastone wall connecting said floor and ceiling but leaving an open side, andhaving a barf extending substantially horizontally'across the open side;and a utility shelf removably attached to said soap dish, said utilityshelf comprising a rack shaped to accept and support articles placedthereon, a pair of legs attached to said rack and shaped to mate withand rest on said bar across said soap dish, and at least one tongueextending from said rack and shaped to fit against at least one of saidsoap dish and said wall in which said soap dish is mounted to preventthereby tilting away from said soap dish; said rack being shaped to fitagainst at least one of said soap dish and said wall in which said soapdish is mounted to prevent thereby tilting towards said soap dish.

13.. In combination, a soap dish normally mounted in a wall near bathingfacilities, said soap dish comprising; a floor, a ceiling, and at leastone wall connecting said floor and said ceiling but leaving an openside, and having: a bar extending substantially horizontally across theopen: side; and a utility shelf removably attached thereto, saidi shelfcomprising a rack shaped to accept and support articles placed thereon,a pair of legs attached to said rack and shaped to mate with and rest onsaid bar across said soap dish, and a tongue extending rearwardly fromsaid rack and shaped to fit against said ceiling of said soap dish toprevent thereby tilting away from said soap dish; said rack e ng shapedto fit agains at least one of said soap dish and said wall in which saidsoap dish is mounted to prevent thereby tilting towards said soap dish.

12. In combination, a soap dish normally mounted in a wall near bathingfacilities, said soap dish comprising a floor, a ceiling, and at leastone wall connecting said floor and ceiling but leaving an open side, andhaving a bar extending substantially horizontally across the open side;and a utility shelf removably attached thereto, said shelf comprising arack shaped to accept and support articles placed thereon, a pair oflegs attached to said rack and shaped to mate with and rest on said baracross said soap dish, and at least one tongue extending downwardly fromsaid rack near the rear portion thereof and shaped to fit against atleast one of said soap dish and said wall in which said soap dish ismounted to prevent thereby tilting away from said soap dish; said rackbeing shaped to fit against at least one of said soap dish and said wallin which said soap dish is mounted to prevent thereby tilting towardsaid soap dish.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 335,051 1/1886Ayres 182--120 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

J. T. MCCALL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A UTILITY SHELF SUITABLE FOR REMOVABLE ATTACHMENT WITH A SOAP DISHNORMALLY MOUNTED IN A WALL NEAR BATHING FACILITIES; SAID SOAP DISHNORMALLY COMPRISING A FLOOR, A CEILING, AND AT LEAST ONE WALL OFCONNECTING SAID FLOOR AND CEILING BUT LEAVING AN OPEN SIDE, AND HAVING ABAR EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY ACROSS THE OPEN SIDE; SAIDSHELF COMPRISING A RACK SHAPED TO ACCEPT AND SUPPORT ARTICLES PLACEDTHEREON, AT LEAST ONE LEG ATTACHED TO SAID RACK AND SHAPED TO REST ON ABAR ACROSS A SOAP DISH AND MAINTAIN THE SHELF IN POSITION THEREON, ANDAT LEAST ONE